Love is in the air
February is the month of love and what better way to celebrate it than under the stars?
Orion is a constellation surrounded by tales of love and tragedy.
“In Greek mythology, Orion was the most handsome of men and a great hunter. In one myth, he fell in love with Pleiades, the seven sisters, daughters of Atlas and Pleione. He started pursuing them so Zeus scooped them up and placed them in the sky. The Pleiades are represented by the famous star cluster of the same name, located in the constellation Taurus. Orion still can be seen chasing the sisters across the sky at night,” explained Harry the Hominid, Maropeng’s spokeshominid, in a press statement.
The goddess of hunting fell in love with the handsome Orion. Her brother, Apollo opposed this love and figured out a way to get rid of Orion. He then orchestrated the killing of Orion by instructing his sister to hit a target in the distance with her bow and arrow. With a single shot, she unknowingly killed the one man she loved. She decided to place Orion among the stars as she struggled to come to terms with his death.
Harry said, “Maybe this Valentine’s Day you’ll have a story to share with your loved one as you gaze up at Orion’s twinkling belt. If you would like to learn more about our intriguing skies, visit Maropeng for its stargazing evenings once a month with resident astronomer Vincent Nettman.”
For more information visit www.maropeng.co.za.
